A Father's Love
by Pilot03
Summary: A short oneshot to the scenes when the Starwinds are seperated.


Authors disclaimer: I do not own or ever will cries tears Outlaw Star

--Personal note: This is my first fan fic. Love it, hate it, love to hate it. Please review. I'm posting this fic for the few who posted and encouraged me to write this fic.

A Father's Love  
by: Pilot03

Smoke stung at his eyes causing his vision to blur. Everywhere he looked he saw fire and destruction. Warning bells screeched and lights on the flight controls blinked at an alarming rate which signaled the impending death of their vessel. He looked out the shattering co-pilot window and saw the advancing pirate ship that had suddenly attacked them coming about for another pass on its prey. He was scared. He didn't know what to do and his indecisiveness paralyzed his small frame.

"We're going to die here," he stated numbly. "I'm right aren't I dad..."

The young Starwind looked at his senior. Determination and love was embedded on his face.

"Where did those pirates come from!" he spat out with distain.

He refused to allow these pirates to harm his child. Life had taken his wife and he wasn't about to lose all he had left in the world. Today was to be Gene's first trip into space to learn the skills of piloting a spacecraft. He had been looking forward to this day since the day his son could walk. He knew without anyone telling him that he had to protect his most valued treasure so he could mature into a man.

While fighting with the controls to steer the ship away from oncoming death, he turned to his son.

"Where is the pirate, keep an eye on him!"

When he received no reply he looked into his son's face. He could easily see the shallow breathing and far away look on his face. He had seen that expression a long time ago. The face of a man who knew his time had come. He wasn't going to have that. Not at all. Not for Gene.

Within moments a plan was hatched in his head, and strong hands old from age and hard work went into action. He turned the ship into a arch that would buy the precious minutes needed to bargain death with for the price of his boy's life. With that done, he unfastened himself from his command chair and like-wise detached Gene from his restraints.

Gene was still numb to all that was going on around him and he barely noticed the sensation of being lift from his seat by his father. The change of setting as the corridors of the ship swept past his vision brought him out of his stupor as he realize he was being dragged to the rear of the ship.

"What are we going to do. The ship is doomed and the pirates will capture us," Gene yelled over the noise of the battle. "We have to fight them or we are going to die!"

Just then a explosion rocked the ship causing Gene to close his eyes shut and bring up his arms to cover his face. Pieces of metal and wire that where once arteries to his inheritance came flying at them. When the shock subsided and Gene felt no pain, he opened his eyes to see his father shielding him with his body. Gene's father quickly scooped him up and they raced to the area mark as the bay for the ship's life pods.

Gene spoke again with fear clearly audible in his voice, "How will we escape!" His father made no response. He was busy looking out a port window.

Electrical systems began to fail all around the ship and the lights began to flicker giving the paling young boy a ghoulish appearance. His father shuttered at the sight. Gene was looking franticly around. His previous episode of indecisiveness had given way to one of panic. He realized quickly to his dismay that the air was getting harder to breath and the temperature was falling quickly. He didn't have to be an experienced space pilot to tell him what his instincts quickly informed him of.

"We haven't that much time left!" The ship was coming apart faster then either Starwind had expected. The time for action was quickly reducing itself and with it all hope of survival.

With deft finger and control over his ship, Gene's father entered a code on a nearby hatch. With a hiss, the door swung open to reveal a hidden alcove. This ship was long from new and had originally been configured to support four escape pods for the crew. Time and the sudden attack by the pirates had left all but one pod operational. Describing the pod as functional was a stretch of the truth, but that was all that was left to them. One shitty escape pod was to be the means to their salvation. A sense of relief started to come over the senior Starwind. He turn from his boy for the moment to inspect the pod before entering. Just as quickly as fate had seem to give them both a means of escape, it took it right back. The calm that had began to sooth him, had turned into a freezing sweat.

He looked out a nearby hatch window and saw a planet coming into view. The last coordinates he had entered before departing with his son from the bridge had brought them close to this planet. It was his plan to use the pod and enter the atmosphere to get out of the reach of the pirates. He looked at the scan of the damage to the pod. The main life support was shot. He quickly calculated the distance to the planet and the available air in the reserve tanks and his assumptions were correct.

Only one person could make the trip. One person or both would die. It was not a hard decision for him to make.

Gene started, "Dad, you don't expect us both to make it out on that. Why don't we fight it oooo... HHHEEEEYYYY!" With movements that would put a man half his age to shame, Gene's father took hold of his shoulders and flung him into the pod. Even before Gene had hit the floor, his father was already securing the hatch.

Dazed at first, Gene quickly regain his senses and leapt to his feet. He went to the hatch and began pounding away at the door which such force his hands where bleeding.

"NNNNOOOOO!"

"Father the hatch is closed," Gene yelled franticly "You have to hurry and get inside before it's to late...Father!"

Gene's father could hear the boy pounding on the hatch with all he had in him. The desperate pleas and frighten cries of his only child brought tears to his already stinging eyes.

IwillnotbreakIwillnotbreakIwillnotbreakIwillnotbreak

Gene's father could no longer look into the hysterical expression of his son begging for him to reconsider. He cast his gaze downward and closed his eyes for a second. In that brief moment, he relived Gene's life thru his memories. He saw him being born from his beautiful young bride. A life he help create and would nourish and protect. He saw himself raising the boy as best as he could. He never claimed to be perfect, but he had done his best to teach him the important lesson of life. He saw all the time he had failed Gene as well. A deep and all consuming regret filled his soul. He would never have the chance to make up for them. He when up to every moment until he was back in the present. We wanted so desperately to be there for his son. Life had already taken his mother.

He said a quick prayer that his son would be looked after and to live his life well. More importantly, he prayed Gene would not grow up with hate in his heart and that he would keep fond memories of him and his lovely mother in his heart to comfort him for the hard times ahead.

With that done, Gene's father look upon his son one last time and smiled. He hoped the expression would communicate to Gene just how proud he was of him. Then he closed his eyes once more and hit the release latch to the escape pod. Explosions rocked the ship and a wall of fire began to rush to the rear of the ship.

"Live well Gene Starwind," he spoke "I have one last lesson for you,...go out and find your destiny,...and never forget the love of a father for his son..."

In that instance, both Starwinds where pushed into blackness. Gene tumbled thru the vastness of space until he shot thru the sky like a shooting star to begin his new life with pain in his heart and a new fear of space. He opened his eyes to a brand new world that would take him on a quest for revenge against the pirates who attacked his father's ship.

Gene's father never again opened his.

End  
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